Method of and means for propelling and controlling vessels



J m, W23. EA'SLWE T. .G.- TULLQCH METHOD AND MEANS FOR PRCPELLING AND CONTROLLING VESSELS Filed Feb. 27 1920 Patented July 10, 1923.

THOMAS G. runroon, or nonnon'nnerann.

IVL'E'IHOD OF AND MEANSFOR-PROPELLING AND CONTROLLING VESSELS.

Application filed February 2'7, 1920. Serial No. 361,707.

and control of vessels, rafts, and'the like,

by the combustion or explosion of gaseous fuels acting on the water through the medium of a reciprocating plunger 0r piston, Or of two pistons-suitably connected together.

In the preferredconstruction or arrange mentI provide two cylinders in alignment having pistons suitably connected together preferably by a? rod.

The axes of the two'cylinders are inclined preferably at the smallest possible angle to the longitudinal axis and'horizontal plane of the vessel'to bepropellechthe piston of the upper cylinder being adaptedtooperate by internal combustion, andthe piston of thelower to actdirectly uponthe water in which the vessel'floatjs. ,An opening or ape'rture is formed in the bottom or side of the vessel, preferably the former, having its axis continuous withtha't of the lower cylinder, and it is thus adapted to'direct the stream of "water rearwardly, which stream is moved directly by the piston located at the upper end of-the-aperture. v

The internal combustion cylinderrmay operate upon the four stroke, two stroke or other known cycle, and the lower end of the closed cylinder may be employed to deliver air or chargeto the upperend of the cylinder in the usual and known manner in internal combustion engines. Suitable means areemployed if the four stroke cycle is used to move the pistons during the three nonpower strokes, and if a two stroke cycle is used, during the return stroke.

-Means may be provided to ensure that while the pistons may make-their outstroke rapidly, thevreturn stroke shall be made relatively =slowly,and this means may coinprise acam or cam grooved plate mounted upon acontrolled'rotatingshafathe cam or cam groove being so formed of oval shape with "one flattenedside that the operative face or groove is comparatively straight on s the one side, which side corresponds to the outward rapid movement of thepistons, the curved side being the longer track the pistons perform the return stroke slowly.

A suitable number of such cylinders or pairs of cylinders each provided with said discharge apertures for water may be arranged transversely across the vessel.

Arrangements may be made to operate all the combustion engine cylinders at once or separately or in groups for example those on one side of the vessel only, as may be desired. p

I provide a blade or plate pivotally or hingedly mounted on the under surface of the ship or vessel. The hinged plate or blade is arranged opposite to and at the rear of each discharge aperture for the delivery of water.

The shaft or pivot upon which the blade or plate is mounted has operating and controlling means on the inside of the ship, so that the blades or plates may be inclined forwardly at a suitable angle facing the discharge of water from the apertures on the under surface of the vessel. By'this means the water may be deflected and driven forwardly instead of rear'wardly so that the operation of the moving stream of water is reversed and the vessel will therefore move in the opposite direction, driven astern. Such plates may take the place of'rudder's bybeingmoved to a'suitable angle upon thoirvpivot shafts, for example, a right angle with the surface of the water. The said plates may be arranged to be operated singly or in one or more groups on either side of the keel of the boat, thus forming rudders to turn or manoeuvre the vessel. The controlling motion from the interior of the ship is adapted to :InOVe the plates to any desired angle with relation to the under surface of-the vessel, or to place the plates flat'against the bottom of the vessel when desired to ensure that they shall not produce resistance to forward movement.

An auxiliary water intake arranged in advance of or forwardly of the said delivery aperture for water may be provided in order to assist in fillingthe lower cylinder with water on the returnstroke of-the piston.

It is necessary that the outward stroke or movement of the piston orpistons must be that is to say, be

made as quickly as possible so that the watershall be impelled or deliveredthrough the delivery aperture as rapidly as possible.

The water displacing members instead of being circular may be of any suitable section.

Means. may be provided such as a sliding I valve to cut off the lower cylinder from the water delivery aperture to permit of adjustment or repair.

And in order that my invention may be completely understood, "reference should be made to the accompanying sheet of drawings in which my invention is shown diagrammatically and by way of example to illustrate one mode of carrying it into effect.

Fig: 1 is a plan showing-a palr of lnternal combustion engines which are coupled directly to pistons operating as-water impellers. Fig. 1 also shOWS-in plan a pair of the blades or plates before referred to pivotally or hingedly mounted'on the under surface of the ship or vessel.

Fig. 2 is an elevation, part section of the cylinders as in Fig. 1, and with the plate or blade shown in full lines and in the reversing position, the dotted lines indicating other angular positions for operation. A A are the lnternal combustion engine cylinders mounted on a suitable frame or bedplate'A which is secured upon or adjacent to the bottom of the ship or vessel. Each of theworking pistons B which are adapted to reciprocate in the said twocylin- -.ders A A is connected by a piston rod C rigidly to a second piston Fig. 2) which piston D is adapted to recip rocate in the cylinder if. The cylinders E are secured upon the same frame or bedplate A as that upon which theinternal combustion engine cylinders A A are mounted and in such a manner that the cylinders A. and E have their axes in alignment. The

D (see the section cylinder E has an extension thereof E also in axial alignment. This aligned axis of the two cylinders and the extension E is at an acute angle as shown in Fig. 2, with the lowersurface G of, the ship or vessel or the like, the end of the-cylinder E being 5 truncated to meet the angle of the under surface G- of the ship or vessel.

The lower end of thecylinder E is open to the water in whichthe ship or vessel floats by the delivery opening F1 tween bearings and adjacent the reciprocat ing piston rod C. Pins G C are rigidly secured upon the piston rod C and means are p rovided'toprevent the piston rod C and the pistons B and D secured thereto from turning. The shaft F being rotated by independent power, and in the direction indicated by the arrow, the cam F inengaging the pin G during its rotation, moves the rod 0 by means of the pin C and therefore,

the piston B to make a compression stroke,

the compression stroke being made, and the ignition being then effected by the spark plug diagrammatically shown in Figure 2,

the'explosion' operates freely upon the two pistons C and D. In making the outward stroke, the pin C during this stroke moves against the flat face which is nearly radial of the cam F The continued rotation of the cam insures in the event of failure to ignite in the cylinder A, the inward stroke of the piston rod by engaging theother pin G This movement it will be observed of the two p stons is effected relativelyslowly by the scroll cam'face. At maximum compression thecharge in the cylinder A is fired. On the'explosion of the charge the form of each cam'F permits the pistons B and D under the effect ofthe explosion to make a rapid unimpeded outstroke,-so per? mitting the whole force of the explosion to quickly operate upon the body of water contained in the cylinders E and E}, which'jwater is driven rearwardly by the piston D through the outlet orifice E impel the vessel forwardly.

It willjbe understood that 'the' working cylinders A shown diagrammatically may operate upon either stroke cycle. I 1 v Two such combined internal combustion engine cylinders such as Afwith 'water*im-.

pelling cylinders such as E may be provided in one vessel as shown in Fig; 1. They may be conveniently arranged parallel with and? equidistant fromthe centre line foreand the two or the I four aft of the ship or vessel*G',"'thebottomfsurface of which is indicated in- Fig. 2. The

combined water impelling unit'may-ho-wever be placed-in any conven ent position for propulsion of the vessel, and although shown as arranged fittedon-the bottom of the vessel, they may be placed at the side if desired.

Further, although'only'twosuch unit combinations of powerand impelling cylinders are shown 'in the plan, Fig. '1, a multiplicity of such combined units to any desired and convenient number fmay be arranged on the bottom of the vessel or some may be arranged 'on the bottom of the ship orvessel and others at the-side. Moreover, steering may be effected by stopping the operation of the combined impelling unit or unitson one side of the central vertical'plane of the vessel, and continuing to operate one or some or all of these'upon the other side of the vessel, I may alsom'rra nge plurality of such water'impl-lingunitsifdesired in order to drive -the ship' or'vessel astern, I prefer however for" this purpose, ea, that of driving the ship or vessel asternft-o efliect' this by means of'the 'plate'or'bla-de 'This is shownin full lines in-Fig-JQ in t hevertical position, but it may be madam-assumeany other position as occasion demands.

The plates or blades "H are arranged in such a manner that they may i be Y moved to project fromthe bottom-of the shipor vessel at the rearof and adjacent the Water-impelling'outlets-or tube extensions E The blades H are mounted-upona transverselyarranged shaft J so arranged preferably in a recess formedon the under surface-of the vessel that each I blade 'or plate 1-1 when in the inoperative position maybe turnedupon the shaft J r to practically fill the said recess in such a manner that the plate or "blade -is then flush with the'under s'u rfaee oftheves sel. The shaft J which is moun-tedin-"suitable bearings extends transversely across the 1 said recess (not shown) and "passes -"at each end of the late-ralrecess through a glandor stufiing box indicated at J 1 and an additional bearing indicated by the vletter K may be provided in -the centre of the said recess. The two "ends of the said "shaftJ wh ic h' project within the vessel from the said glands are provided'withineans for rocking oroscillating the shaft. These "IHGEITI'SflI E indicated by the shaft L upon which is mounted the worrn M gearing with the quadrant N,which quadrants are rigidly secured upon the shaft J, preferably one at each end thereof. When the shaft L is turned in one direction the shaftJ operated by the worm.

M and the quadrant N causes the blades H or one of them secured to the shaft J to turn to the vertical position or at an angle normal to the stream of Water shown in Fig. 2, in which position the water impelled through the outlet E by the piston D impinges upon the blade and thus causes the rearwardly directed stream of water meeting the said blade to be redirected forwardly instead of rearwardly, so reversing the vessel. As shown by the dotted lines H Fig. 2, the angle of position of the blade for receiving the stream of water may be varied as may be desired, or as before stated one plate or blade only may be operated separately, while the other is retained fiat against the bottom or side of the ship, the plate thus operated when projecting constituting a rudder to turn or manoeuvre the vessel.

The channel 0 is provided forward of the outlet E in order to assist in filling the cylinder E with water on the return stroke of the piston.

The sliding or ate valve P is fitted between the cylinder and the cylinder or extension E in order'to completely close the cylinder and exclude water from samewhen it is desired to make an adjustment or eli'ec't repairs to the apparatus described. It will be understood thatthe valve P is completely openwhen the pistons 13 and D are working. 3 7 7 Means are provided such as a'wheel P for operating the screw down gate 1 valve P.

A plurality of the combined-water impelling units as described may be placed on each side of the centre line fore and aft 'o'fthe ship, or of the'keel, and thoseon one sideo'f'the vessel may be operated, while those on the other side are'stationary, in -order to"manoeu-vre the vessel, or a greater number of such plurality of power units may be o'perated'on the one-side than'those on the other, either together withor in co-operation with o'r independentl-y'of'the plates-or blades H.

ltwill be observed that theapparatus' described may be placed at therst'e'rn of a s'hip and in such'po'sition the streamof water may be directed parallel "with the longitudinal-"axisof the vessel.

What I do claim as my'invention and desire tosecure by Letters Patent 'is 1. A propeller for vessels'compr ising'a water cylinder communicating with anopening in; the vessel,-.a piston operable'in said water cylinder, an explosive cylinder, a-pistonopera-blein said explosive cylinder, means connecting the two pistons,- and meansfor operatingthe explosive cylinderpiston-for compressing-a charge in the cylinder s aidopcrating means allowing a rapid-movement of the piston in one direction but effecting a slow movement of the piston in the opposite direction. r

2. A propeller for vessels comprising a water cylinder communicating with an opening in the vessel, a piston operable in said water cylinder, an explosive cylinder, a piston operable in said explosive cylinder, a rod connecting the two pistons, a shaft mounted transversely of the piston rod, means for operating the shaft, and means carried by the shaft and engaging the piston rod for operating the piston to compress a charge in the explosive cylinder, said operating means allowing a. rapid movement of the pistons on the explosion stroke but effecting a slow movement on the compression stroke.

3. A propeller for vessels comprising awater cylinder communicating with an opening in the vessel, 2. piston operable in said water cylinder, an explosive cylinder, a piston operable in said explosive cylinder, a rod connecting the two pistons, a shaft mounted transversely of the piston rod, means for operating the shaft, and a cam secured on said shaft and adapted to engage the piston rod for operating the pistons to compress a charge in the explosive cylinder,

I stroke'but allow a free passage of the projection on the said .eam bein so shaped as to allow arapid movement" of the pistons on the explosion stroke and ell ecting a slow movement on the compression stroke.

4s. A propeller for vessels comprisinga Water cylinder communicating with an opening in the'vessel, a piston operable'in {said Water cylinder, an explosive. ycylin der, a pistonoperable in said explosive cylinder, a rod connecting vthe two pistons, a, projece tion extending from said rod, a shaft mounted transversely ofthepistonrod, means for operating the-shaft, and a cam secured on said'shaftiand adapted to engage the projection onthe piston rod for operating the pistons to compress a charge. in the explosive cylinder, said cam being so shaped as; to allow' a. rapid, movementof the pistons on .the explosion'lstroke but effecting a slow movement on the compression stroke;

A propeller. fGI'rVQSSGlS' com'pi 'ising a Water Cylinder communicating with an open i-ngin the vessel, a piston operable in said water cylinder, an explosive cylinder, a. piston operable in said .QXPlOSlVG cylinder,'.a

rod connecting the two pistons,v a projection extending from said r0d,"[a shaft mounted transversely of the pistonrod, means for operating the shaft,;and "a cam-carried by the shaft and adapted to engage theprojection on the piston rod for'ope rating the piston-to compress a charge'in the explosive cylinder, thecam being so shaped as to ellect a slow movement of the pistons on the compression having a flat surface adapted to piston rod and therebya rapid movement-cf thepistons on" the explos'ive stroke,

5 propeller for esselscompr singfia Water 'cyhnder communicating with an open 'ing in the vessel, alpist'on operable in said Water cylinder, an explosiveeylinder, a p1s I tonjoperable in sai'd'explosive cylinder, means connecting thetwopistons, means for operatchargep and a b-ladepivotally connected to the "vessel and adapted to be swung either into a,po-s1t1on normal-to the ater stream the Water cylinder, H 1'1 'or in aline With,;th e Water discharged from Tet propeller for vessels comprising a plurality of parallel. ater; cylinders co nmunicating with openings in the vessel, pis

tons operable in .saidywater .c-ylinders,.a plurality a of: parallel p explosive; cylinders, pistons operable in said explosivecylinders,

means for connecting aligned pistons, meansv for. operating the explosive cylinder pistons for compressing charges in said cylinders, said operating means-v allowing a rapidjmoves ment of the pistensup-on the-explosion of the eharge, blades adapted to; beesvvung eitherlinto a positionnormal to the Water stream or in lineivitheth'eiivater discharged from the water cyl1nders,.-and" means for TGHClGIlDgSOIIlQ) of the 'allgned pistons-inonerative. V I

' T; ammie 

